The U.S. Department of Education (ED) significantly escalated its actions against the Maine Department of Education (MDOE) on Friday, referring its Title IX investigation to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) for enforcement and simultaneously initiating proceedings to potentially terminate the state’s federal K-12 education funding.
The move comes after ED determined MDOE has failed to comply with Title IX, the federal law prohibiting sex-based discrimination in education programs receiving federal assistance.
According to ED, the state refused to resolve findings that its policies violate the law, specifically citing practices allowing students identified as male at birth to compete in female sports and access women-only intimate spaces.
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ED’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) had previously issued a formal noncompliance finding against MDOE on March 19, following a directed investigation. A final warning letter was sent on March 31, urging voluntary compliance, which MDOE reportedly refused.
“The Department has given Maine every opportunity to come into compliance with Title IX, but the state’s leaders have stubbornly refused to do so,” stated Acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Craig Trainor. He accused state leaders of “prioritizing an extremist ideological agenda over their students’ safety, privacy, and dignity.”
Trainor added, “The Maine Department of Education will now have to defend its discriminatory practices before a Department administrative law judge and in a federal court against the Justice Department.” He directly addressed Maine’s Governor Mills, stating she “will now see the Trump Administration in court.”
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The ED’s actions are framed within the context of Title IX and President Trump’s Executive Order titled “Keeping Men out of Women’s Sports,” which aims to protect female student athletes from competing against or sharing intimate spaces with individuals identified as male at birth.
The referral to the DOJ means Maine could face legal action in federal court. Concurrently, the administrative proceedings initiated by ED will involve an administrative law judge adjudicating whether to terminate MDOE’s federal education funding, which includes both formula and discretionary grants crucial for the state’s K-12 system.
The outcome of these proceedings could have significant financial implications for Maine’s schools.
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